There are a variety of reasons that consumers desire to color their hair. One reason is to completely change hair color. In many cases, consumers first become interested in coloring their hair when their hair begins to gray. The term “First Grays” is usually used to refer to individuals who are just beginning to get gray hair that is noticeable. Generally, individuals having First Grays are those where about ten percent or less of their hair has turned gray. There are few, if any, products that are targeted to consumers interested in treating First Grays. The First Grays consumer is most interested in treating only the gray hair that is present so that it becomes close to its original color. Such consumers are not necessarily interested in coloring all of their hair. The product that best fits the need gaps of the First Grays consumer would be gentle on the hair, quick and easy to use, and would blend away the gray hair without overly processing non-gray hair. Often First Grays consumers view oxidative hair color as too invasive for their needs. They respond by putting off the hair color process completely until their gray hair becomes more pronounced, or oxidatively coloring all of their hair in order to treat the small portion of gray hair that bothers them.
Other types of consumers have a desire for the same type of product that fulfills the need gaps for First Grays. The quick, gentle-to-hair, easy to use, features of such hair color would be very attractive to consumers that use hair relaxers, or consumers who have hair that has been chemically processed via perming, oxidative hair color, and the like. For example, hair relaxers are commonly used among ethnic groups who have kinky hair and desire to straighten it. Hair treated with lye-based relaxers often exhibits a washed out, faded appearance. Relaxer users then want to revitalize the color of their hair but are often reluctant to further assault hair that is already fragile with an oxidative dye procedure.
Consumers who have repeatedly oxidatively dyed or treated their hair with permanent wave processes may also have the same problem. Hair that has been permed may be fragile, dry, and in some cases, damaged. Applying oxidative color to such hair may only further promote damage to the hair. Yet, these consumers often wish to color their hair, and need a product that is mild, yet effective.
In other cases, oxidative hair color users may desire to revitalize the color of the hair. However, for a variety of reasons, such users may be reluctant to undergo another oxidative hair color procedure. Generally, standard oxidative hair color is referred to as “Level 3” hair color. Level 3 hair color involves a process where the melanin fibers of the hair are both bleached or lightened, as well as colored with the oxidative dye. Level 2 hair color, on the other hand, refers to a hair color process where the hair is colored, but not bleached or lightened, with oxidative dyes. Another name for Level 2 hair color is “tone on tone” hair color. It would be most desirable for Level 3 hair color users to have a quick, efficient, mild, process for revitalizing the color of their oxidatively dyed hair using a Level 2 hair color, which is less invasive.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple, user friendly, fast, and gentle method for coloring hair that is suitable for coloring First Grays, or coloring hair that has been chemically processed. Ideally, this method will provide tones on gray hair, for example, golden tones on brown hair, warm tones on red hair, or ashy tones on black hair.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and compositions for oxidatively coloring hair in about two to five minutes, preferably about two minutes.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair color composition and process suitable for treating First Grays.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair color composition and process for coloring hair that has been treated with lye-based hair relaxers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair color composition and process for coloring hair that is gentle, easy to use, fast, and suitable for hair that has been chemically processed such as by permanent waving, Level 3 hair color, and the like.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair color composition and process for revitalizing the color of oxidatively colored (Level 3) hair color.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a Level 2 hair color composition and process for revitalizing the color of hair that has been colored with Level 3 hair color.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair color composition containing glyceryl esters, preferably lecithin, one or more surfactants, and one or more oxidative dyes.